Leman Academy of Excellence

What Leman Academy of Excellence does

Leman Academy of Excellence Inc. is a nonprofit public charter school network headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, operating tuition-free K-8 schools across Arizona and Colorado along with tuition-based preschool programs at select campuses. The network was founded by Dr. Kevin Leman, an internationally known psychologist and author of more than 60 books, and serves over 4,000 scholars through 11-plus campuses including Central Tucson, East Tucson, Marana, Oro Valley, Sierra Vista, the Leman Virtual Academy, and two Parker, Colorado locations (Parker-Stroh and Parker-Bayou Gulch). Instruction is built on a proprietary classical curriculum structured around the Trivium (grammar, logic, rhetoric) and Charlotte Mason methods, with advanced math progression allowing scholars to reach Algebra 1 by eighth grade and subjects including Latin, Logic, and classical literature woven through the grade levels.

The underlying educational platform combines teacher-led Socratic instruction, Living Books curricula, and structured copybook/narration practices, delivered either in person at physical campuses or online through the Leman Virtual Academy, which provides live synchronous instruction four days per week. The supporting technology stack includes third-party EdTech and administrative systems (Clever, Schoology, ParentVue, Infinite Campus, Procare, Google Workspace, MySchoolBucks, Stripe, Boonli, and the EngageEd parent portal), but the product itself is fundamentally a human-delivered classical education experience rather than a software platform.

Revenue mechanics are characteristic of public charter schools: primary funding flows from state per-pupil allocations in Arizona and Colorado, supplemented by tuition at preschool and select full-day kindergarten sites, plus donations through Arizona charter school tax credits, the Millions for Tucson charitable raffle, and general fund giving. The customer base is individual families distributed across multiple campuses, segmented by classical-education interest, military-connected status (Arizona Purple Star designated), virtual learning preference, and preschool needs. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through open-enrollment portals (Edupoint for Arizona, DCSD EngageEd for Colorado) and campus tours.

Name

Leman Academy of Excellence

Legal name

Leman Academy of Excellence Inc.

Website

https://lemanacademy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Leman Academy of Excellence is a nonprofit public charter school network operating tuition-free K-8 campuses and tuition-based preschools across Arizona and Colorado. Founded by psychologist Dr. Kevin Leman, it serves over 4,000 scholars using a proprietary classical Trivium and Charlotte Mason curriculum delivered in person and online.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Classical Charter School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter Montessori/Waldorf/Classical/Expeditionary (Pedagogical Models) (EDAJACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Virtual/Online Charter Schools (EDAJACAD), Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools (EDAJACAJ), Standards Alignment & Curriculum Mapping Resources (State/NAEYC/Head Start) (EDACAJAN)

Keywords

• Classical K-8 education
• Tuition-free charter schools
• Preschool early learning
• Virtual K-8 academy
• Charlotte Mason curriculum

Headquarters

HQ city

Tucson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. State Per-Pupil Funding: As a public charter school, Leman Academy receives per-pupil state funding based on enrollment for K-8 programs
2. Preschool Tuition: Tuition-based preschool programs at select Arizona locations and Colorado Bayou Gulch campus. Families pay for full-day or half-day preschool care.
3. Tax Credit Donations: Arizona Charter School Tax Credit contributions ($200 for individuals, $400 for married couples filing jointly) through Royal Teachers Fund to support teacher recruitment, development, and retention
4. General Donations: General fund donations supporting programs and activities not fully funded by annual school budget
5. Raffle Fundraising: Millions for Tucson charitable raffle (2026) where 100% of proceeds stay with schools to support student programs and initiatives

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Leman Academy of Excellence operates tuition-free public charter schools delivering a classical education for grades K-8 across campuses in Arizona and Colorado, with a Leman Virtual Academy option for online scholars. The network also offers tuition-based preschool programs at select Arizona campuses and a Colorado PreK program. Curriculum combines the classical Trivium, Charlotte Mason methods, and Dr. Kevin Leman's encouragement-focused philosophy, with extended-care programs such as AfterBell and Champions for before- and after-school enrichment.

Product overview

Leman Academy of Excellence operates a network of tuition-free public charter schools across Arizona and Colorado, offering classical education from preschool through 8th grade. The portfolio includes six Arizona K-8 campuses (Central Tucson, East Tucson, Marana, Oro Valley, Sierra Vista, and Leman Virtual Academy), four Arizona preschools, two Colorado K-8 campuses (Parker-Stroh and Parker-Bayou Gulch), and one Colorado PreK program. All schools follow a rigorous classical curriculum with Charlotte Mason influence, supplemented by enrichment programs (athletics, music, art, after-school care, summer camps). The Leman Virtual Academy provides online K-8 education as a distinct delivery channel within the network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Arizona K-8 Charter Schools Tuition-free public charter schools delivering classical K-8 education for Arizona scholars across six campuses (Central Tucson, East Tucson, Marana, Oro Valley, Sierra Vista, and the Leman Virtual Academy), targeting families seeking smaller class sizes and character development.
• Colorado K-8 Charter Schools Tuition-free public charter K-8 schools authorized by the Douglas County School District, serving Parker, Colorado at the Parker-Stroh and Parker-Bayou Gulch campuses with the same classical curriculum as Arizona schools.
• Leman Virtual Academy Tuition-free online charter school for Arizona K-8 scholars offering a flexible virtual model with live online instruction four days per week, independent learning through Schoology, and access to campus athletics and extracurriculars.
• Arizona Preschool Programs Tuition-based preschool programs at select Arizona locations offering structured classical early childhood education with kindergarten readiness preparation, flexible 2-5 day schedules, half-day and full-day options, and 10% sibling and 10% military discounts.
• Colorado PreK Program Classical curriculum-based PreK program at Parker-Bayou Gulch for 4-year-olds, following the school calendar August through May with structured early learning aligned to the K-8 classical curriculum.
• AfterBell Program After-school care and enrichment programming at Arizona campuses providing extended supervision and structured activities beyond regular school hours for working families.
• Champions Program After-school program offerings at select campuses (Oro Valley and Sierra Vista) providing extended care and enrichment activities for scholars.
• Summer Camp Program Preschool summer camp offering structured daily routines, teacher-led activities, and engaging weekly themes for young learners during school break.
• Athletics Program Competitive sports programs including flag football, volleyball, soccer, softball, and basketball for grades 5-8 at Arizona campuses, and team sports at Colorado campuses competing in the Front Range Charter League.
• Classical Curriculum Program Rigorous classical education program with Charlotte Mason influence covering the full Trivium (grammar K-5, logic 6-8, rhetoric), including Art, Music, Spanish (K-2), Latin (grades 3-6), Logic (7th+), and Physical Education.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,000+ scholars enrolled across Arizona and Colorado campuses
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Douglas County School District (DCSD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeman Academy Colorado schools are authorized by the Board of Education of the Douglas County School District. As a charter school, Leman Academy has freedom to make decisions regarding its calendar, policies and curriculum while abiding by DCSD rules and regulations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Peers

• Classical Academies (Escondido):

Direct peers

• Great Hearts Academies: Multi-state classical charter network operating K-12 in Arizona (headquartered in Phoenix) and Texas. Most direct classical curriculum peer with comparable Trivium-based pedagogy and a broader K-12 grade span.
• BASIS Charter Schools: Arizona-founded charter network known for advanced academics (frequently placing scholars in AP and high-achieving college pipelines). Closest peer in advanced math progression and college-prep orientation.
• Archway Classical Academy: Great Hearts-affiliated K-5 classical charter schools across the Phoenix metro. Operates the same Trivium/Charlotte Mason-style classical model and shares authorizer ecosystem in Arizona.
• Valor Education: Texas-based classical charter network operating K-12 in Austin and San Antonio with a Trivium-aligned, virtue-focused model. Comparable philosophy, authorizer relationships, and multi-campus charter structure.

Emerging players

• Seton Education Partners: Catholic-inspired classical charter network expanding across multiple states. Operates classical K-8 charters with character/virtue formation similar to Leman but with religious heritage differentiation.
• Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas: STEM-focused charter network in Nevada, illustrative of state-level charter networks that could expand into Colorado. Less overlap on classical curriculum but comparable tuition-free K-8 charter operating model.

Regional players

• Heritage Academy (Arizona): Arizona-based charter network offering classical, college-prep K-12 across the East Valley. Direct regional competitor for Arizona families seeking rigorous, character-focused K-8 education.
• American Leadership Academy: Multi-campus Arizona charter network serving K-12 with a leadership and character-development focus. Regional competitor in Arizona's charter market, especially in the East Valley and Pinal County.

Broad incumbents

• K12 (Stride, Inc.): National online learning operator providing tuition-free virtual K-12 public school options across many states. Broad incumbent in the online charter school space where Leman Virtual Academy competes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCC2cygoVKGABghK2QRkzrtQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/LemanAcademyofExcellence
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leman-academy-of-excellence-inc/?viewAsMember=true

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Leman Academy of Excellence